LOG IN

BPJS expected to suffer Rp 9t deficit this year: Official

News Desk

The Jakarta Post

Jakarta /
Tue, September 26, 2017 / 04:31 pm

Long queue – Residents of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, queue to register for BPJS memberships at the Pontianak-branch BPJS for Health office on Thursday. Every day, around 200-300 residents queue to apply for the government-funded health insurance program’s memberships. (thejakartapost.com/Severianus Endi)

The Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) has announced that the company’s deficit is projected to reach Rp 9 trillion (US$673.75 million) by the end of this year, BPJS Kesehatan legal and communication director Bayu Wahyudi has said.

He explained the premium paid by the government for 92.4 million low income participants, referred to as contribution assistance recipients (PBI), was only Rp 23,000 for each participant -- which was far less than the normal premium of Rp 36,000.

“So, the difference is Rp 13,000. Imagine Rp 13,000 multiplied by 92.4 million people,” he said as reported by kompas.com on Monday.

Meanwhile, each participant of the non-wage recipients (BPU) scheme is only required to pay a Rp 25,000 premium for the third class service, and Rp 51,000 for the second class service, although the normal premiums are Rp 53,000 and Rp 68,000, he added.

He said so far the deficit was covered by the government using the state fund because Law No. 24/2011 stipulated that BPJS income must come from participant premiums and government assistance.

From 2013 to 2016, government assistance for the BPJS Kesehatan program reached Rp 18.84 trillion.